


The Quibbler’s Guide to Avoiding Nargles in your Mistletoe this year

by HufflepuffCariad



Series: Shipmas 2018 [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Shipmas, Shipmas 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 16:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16977735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HufflepuffCariad/pseuds/HufflepuffCariad
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Harry just wants one moment of peace to kis his wife under the mistletoe.Thanks Littlerose13 for the promt: The Quibbler’s Guide to Avoiding Nargles in your Mistletoe this year





	The Quibbler’s Guide to Avoiding Nargles in your Mistletoe this year

The Quibbler’s guide to nargle free mistletoe. Step one, make sure the mistletoe is picked at midnight under a full moon for the best chance of an infestation free cutting.

Harry laughed as he lowered his magazine. The same old Quibbler! The renewed their subscription each year, long having forgiven Xenophilius’s betrayal for Luna’s sake. He’d have to remind Ginny to watch out for nargles later. Although the chance to get under some mistletoe would be a fine thing, nargle infested or otherwise! Ginny had put up the decorations on December the 1st as always, but they’d barely had a moment’s peace since then. He’d thought retiring from the Auror office, the kids moving out would mean he had more time, but it felt like he’d never been busier. Between grandparent duties, preparing occasional DADA lectures, the Junior Quidditch league that he and Ginny had set up, and the various charities they were involved with, they didn’t have time to breathe. And on top of that, Ginny was still being owled every five minutes by the new Harpies coach for advice. ‘You should still be on the payroll’ he’d complained.

And now it was Christmas Eve, and they hadn’t even started preparations for their annual get together. He was exhausted just thinking of what was left to be done. He was lucky, he knew he was, to have so many friends and family members to celebrate with, but it would be nice to find some time to kiss his wife under the mistletoe.

‘Harry!’ he heard her calling from the kitchen. ‘I brought in the shopping, can you help me unpack it?’

‘Blimey, how many people are coming tonight?’ he asked, gaping at the mountains of food in front of him as he entered the kitchen.

‘Well, Ron’s coming so..’

‘Ah, enough said.’ They grinned.

He smiled as her golden hair fell in front of her face as she looked down to unpack a bag, and moved towards her. We can make time before we start, he thought, preparations can be a little delayed…

‘Mum!’ James’ voice filled the living room as they heard the ‘whoosh’ of the floo. 

Ginny smiled up at Harry, reading his face. ‘Hold that thought’ she grinned.

After Ginny had dished out advice about how to deal with a colicky baby, put on a load of washing for James and mended his cloak, she returned to the kitchen, where Harry was busy charming knives to chop vegetables for his stew.

‘Ah there you are’ he said as he wrapped his arms around her. ‘Mum duties done?’

‘I think so. Now it’s time for my other duties’ she smirked, and moved in to kiss him.

‘Mum!’

This time Lily’s voice killed the fireplace.

‘How do you get red wine stains out? I wanted to wear this tonight!’

Ginny sighed and went to deliver more motherly advice.

By the time she returned to the kitchen the stew was in full flow and Harry was getting started on the puddings. She was wondering whether she could interrupt him, when the intruder alarm went off in the garden.

‘Arrghh!’ she groaned. ‘I’ll go. Those bloody reporters! Christmas Eve! I’ve got a special Christmas jinx, just waiting for them…!’

Harry chuckled. It was at times like this that he was reminded just how much he loved his wife.

He heard her shriek with delight a few moments later, and turned around to see Luna enter the kitchen. ‘Sorry, Ginny was explaining, we’ve had to change the security protocols again!’

‘Luna!’ he said warmly, crossing the kitchen to hug her. ‘We didn’t know you’d be back for Christmas!’

‘Neither did we’ she said dreamily. ‘But we decided the hunt for the Crumpled horned snorkack was over for this year. We think they go to Bolivia for the Winter.’

Harry grinned. Good old Luna. He prepared the rest of the dinner whilst Ginny and Luna caught up, wondering if he’d ever get a moment alone with his wife, however glad he was to see Luna.

It finally came, a few hours later when Luna had left to get ready for the party. ‘Finally!’ he smiled. ’The nargles have been waiting for us!’ He lead Ginny over to the mistletoe, pulling her close, just as Albus appeared.

‘Urgh, get a room!’ he said in disgust.

‘This is a room! Our room! In our house! What do you want?’ he said, pretending to be annoyed.

‘Whatever. Mum, Scorpius has been called in to work, can you babysit for an hour? I need to run to Diagon Alley.’

‘Of course,’ said Ginny, reaching for their Granddaughter, making a silly face to make her laugh. ‘You’re going to have fun with Grandma aren’t you? Yes you are!’

Both men rolled their eyes at Ginny. ‘Thanks Dad’ said Albus gruffly as he disappeared.

The rest of the day was a blur of party preparations, decoration hanging and toddler entertaining. Albus returned later, but by then James had dropped off his two and Lily had come over to get Ginny to curl her hair.

They were exhausted by the time the doorbell rang signalling the first guest.

The party, as ever, was a success. The butterbeer flowed, the laughter rang out but Ginny, Harry remarked disappointedly, remained unkissed. When the last guests had departed and Ginny had taken off her shoes she flopped onto the sofa next to Harry. ‘Now then' she said. 'What was step three?’


End file.
